Connector clamp



CONNECTOR CLAMP Filed Dec. 16, 1938 MWWIMMM Q e inventor. J Myron A. est

b ,V i 19 y igs Attorney Patented Feb. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES" PAT N creme "CONNECTOR CLAMP 'Myron A. Best, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General ElectricCompany, a corporation of New York I 7 Application member is, 1938, Serial No. 246,159

10 Claims. (o1. 173- 273) The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to a connector clamp. The clamp is well adapted for making a temporary connection with a line while it is I energized or for use as a grounding clamp.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector clamp which may be attached quickly and easily to conductors of various shapes and sizes and which, at the same time, insures a 10 good mechanical and electrical connection.

It. is a further object of this invention to provide av simple and rugged connector clamp comprising relatively few parts; which may be easily assembled, and which may be manufactured at 5 low cost. a j j Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a per-,

20 spective view of a connector clamp embodying the presentinvention as it appears when applied toga tubular conductor; Fig. 2 is a plan view partially broken away to show the details of construction, I and Fig; 3 is an exploded'view showing theparts 85 of one of the spring biasing arrangementsused in the connector. I j

'Referring to the drawing the connector includes a pair of clamping jaws or contacts Ifl each of which has'a floating pivotal connection with a 30' supporting plate II.

ablyiormed, of a sheet metal stamping folded I into a substantially U-shaped channel member having an end wall l2 and opposite sidewalls l3 and [4. The connection. with the supporting '86 plate is accomplished by means'of a pin and. slot construction. A pin I5 is located between the longitudinal extensions I6 and H of the side walls I3'and I4 of each of the U-shaped channel members and is secured thereto in any suitable man- 40 ner' as by welding. The pins Tare positioned in transversely extending slots l8 formed near one end of the supporting plate I l to form the floating pivotal connection. The side wall extensions l6 and I! of the jaws engage the opposite'facesof 5 the supporting'plate to provide lateral support and hold the opposing jaw members in alignment. The clamping jaws are held assembled on the supporting plate and biased to their closed position by means of two sets of springs which engage 5 the 'jaws at spaced points along their lengths. The spring arms IQ of the coil springs 20 have their outer ends in engagement with pins 2| which project perpendicularly from one side wall of each of the'jaw members." As illustrated these pins may conveniently form extensions of the pins l 5 Each of the jaws is prefer-.

The inner end 22 of each of the coil springs is flattened and positioned in a longitudinally extending slot 23 formed in a bolt 24 which is rotatably mounted'in the supporting plate. The bolts .24 serve as a mounting for the'coil springs 5" 20 and also as a means for adjusting theforce applied to the pins 2! by the spring arms l9; It is apparent that rotation of the lower bolt of Fig. 2 in a clockwise direction increases the ten- .sion of the coil spring and the pressure applied to the pin 2| by the spring arm l9.

Suitable washers 25 and nuts 26 serve to hold the spring and g mounting boltin adjusted position on the supporting plate. The outer ends'of the jaw members are biased to their closed position by two sets 16 of leaf springs 21. One set of these. springs is secured to each edge of the supporting plate by a substantially U-shaped clip 28 havingan enlarged portion 28a for the reception of the springs and opposed wall portions 29 for engaging the opposite faces of the supporting plate. Suitable screws 30 engagethreaded openings in the sup--' porting plate and-hold the clip 28 and the spring .21 assembled thereona It is apparent that the strength or number'of leaves employed in-each of the springs 21 may be varied to alter thepressure applied to the jaws in accordance with the work to be engaged. The springs 20 render-it possible to make quickly such adjustments as may be needed fromtime to time to make the clamp work efiectively. l

' The jaws are mounted: on the supporting plate I l with'the free-edges of the ,U-shaped channel members in:engagement. This constructionproj vides two lines of contactwith the Work engaged and improves the mechanical holding qualities ofthe jaws. The mechanical and electrical contact made by the jaws may be still further improved by providingtheir free edges :with serrations 3l.'

, In order to guide'a conductor between the jaws 40 and open them against the bias of the springs 27,

a pair of guide prongs 32 are secured tov the outer ends of the jaws. As illustrated 2, these prongs may be secured to the end wall l2'of each of the channel members by any suitable means such as the rivets 33. The free ends of the prongs extend divergently beyond the ends of the jaws to form a V-shaped extensionfor the reception of a conductor. In making a'connectionwith the clamp, it-is only necessary to position one guide prong on each side of the conductor and applya thrust to the supporting plate to force the conductor between thejaws Ill. The first movement of the conductor between the jaws moves them I outwardly against the bias of the springs 21. 55.

After the conductor has movedinwardly beyond the point of application of the springs 21 the con ductor acts as a fulcrum about which the jaws are moved by the springs 21. This moves the floating pivots outwardly against the bias of the spring arms l9 and returns the jaws to a more or less parallel relation depending upon the relative strength of the two sets of springs and the position and shape of the conductor. The position of the jaws when engaging a tubular conductor 34 is illustrated in Fig. 1. the gripping power of the jaws is maintained regardless of variation in the size or shapeof the conductor placed between them, and in this way the limited application and effectiveness inherent in a clamping arrangement having jaws with a fixed pivot is overcome.

secured to the supportingplate by welds ill. The connection is strengthened by-the bolt which passes through the nipple and an opening in a reduced end portion of the supporting plate. The bolt is also utilized to secure a terminal 39 to the connector. The terminal provides means for connecting a power take-off or grounding lead to Inasmuch as all the parts of the,

the clamp, clamp are of conducting material an electric circuit is provided between the clamping jaws l0 and the terminal 39. However, the electrical 1 resistance between the jaws and the spring meinbe used to directly connect the jaws with the supporting plate. The ends of 'the jumpers are provided with suitable terminals ll which are secured to the jaws and the supporting plate-by suitable screws 42. Sufficient slack is provided in. the jumpers so that they do not interfere with the free movement of the jaws relative to the supporting plate. 1 v

From the .ioregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides a rugged clamp. construction particularly adapted. for making tem porary connections with conductors of various shapes and sizes and which, at the same time, in-

" sures a connection of high mechanical strength and low electrical resistance.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters .Patent of the United States is:

1. In an electrical connector, a support, a-pair said support, a first spring means for engaging,

said one jaw near said. pivotal connection tobias it toward the other of said jaws, and a second spring means engaging said one jaw at a point remote from said pivotal connection to bias it toward the other of said jaws and to move said pivotal connection away fromsaid other jaw against the bias of said first-mentioned spring means when a conductor isreceived between said jaws intermediate the points of application of said first and secondspring means 2. In an electrical connector, a supporting plate, a plurality of jaws adapted to receive a conductor therebetween, each of said jaws having a floating pivotal connection with said plate,

With this arrangement a. first spring meansmounted on said plate for engaging said jaws near said pivotal connections to bias them to a predetermined position, and a second spring means supported from said plate and engaging said jaws at a point remote from said pivotal connections for biasing said jaws toward said predetermined position and for moving said pivotal connections away from said predetermined position against the bias of said firstmentioned spring means when a conductor is received between said jaws intermediate the points of application of said first and second spring means. I

v3'. In an electrical connector, a supporting plate, a pair of jaws mounted on said supporting plate, and separable to receive a conductor, said plate having a'slot therein extending in the direction of separating movement of said jaws, spaced parallel walls extending from one end of one of said jaws, a'pin extending between said walls in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said walls, said pin being positioned in said slot with said parallel walls in engagement with the opposite faces of said supporting plate to form a floating pivotal connection between said one jaw and said plate, and spring means engaging said pivoted jaw for biasing it toward the other of said pair of jaws. i

4. In an electrical connector, a support, a pair of jaws separable to receive a conductor therebetween, a pin and slot' connection between one end of each of said jaws and said support permitting bodily movement of said one. jaw in the direction of separating movement of said jaws, spring means engaging said jaws near said pin and slot connection-,and a second spring means engaging said jaws at a point remote from said pin and slot connection. s. v 5. In an electrical connector, a supporting plate, a pair'of substantially .U-shape'dchannel members, a pivotal connectionbetween the inner;

end of eachof said channel members and said supporting plate, means for biasing said channel members to a predetermined position,- saidchannel members being mounted with their opensides facing each other, and a pair of divergent guide prongs extending from the outer 'ends of said channel members for engaging a conductor and forcing said channel members away from said predetermined position when a thrust'is applied to said supporting plate. 6. In anelectrical connector, a supportingpla't having a pair of slots formed'therein, a pairfof jaw membersa pin secured to. each jaw-member nearone end thereof, each" or said pinsbeing po.-' sitioned in one of said slots to vform a'fioating pivotal connection between each of said jaw members and said supporting plate, spring means engaging said jaws near said'pivotal connection for biasing said jawmembers to a predetermined position, and a second spring means engaging said jaw members, at a point spaced from. said pivotal connection, said slots being shaped to permit bodily movement of said jaw members in the direction of separating movement thereof. '7. In an electrical-connector, asupporting plate having a pair of slots formed therein, a pair of substantially U-shaped channel members, a pin exten'dingbetween the side walls of each of said channel members near one end thereofleach of channel members and-said supporting plate, said 75 pins each having a portion extending beyond thev confines of said walls, adjustable spring means mounted on said plate and engaging said pin extensions for biasing said channel members to a predetermined position, and a second spring means engaging said channel members at a point remote from said. floating pivotal connection.

8. In an electrical connector, a supporting plate having a pairof slots formed therein, a

pair of substantially U-shaped channel members,

spaced parallel walls extending fromtheinner end of each of said channel members, a pin extending betweenthe parallel Walls of each of said channel members in a direction perpendicular to said walls, each of i said pins being positioned in one of said slots with said parallelwalls in engagement with the opposite faces of said supporting plate to 'form a floating pivotal connecton' between each of said channel members and said plate, a plurality of spring means mounted on said plate for engaging said channel members at spaced points alongtheir lengths to bias them 1 to. a predeterminedposition, and a pair of divergently extending guide prongs secured to'the' of separating movement of said jaws, a leaf spring secured to one edge of said plate and having its free end in engagement with said one jaw at a point remote from said pivotal connection, and adjustable spring means mounted on said plate to engage said one jaw near said pivotal connection to bias said jaw to a predetermined position. I

10. In an' electrical connector, a supporting 'plate having a pair of slots'iorm-ed therein, a

pair of I substantially U-shaped channel members, a pin extending between the opposite side walls of each of said channel members near one end thereof, each of said pins being positioned in one of said slots Withsaid side walls in engagement with the opposite faces of said supporting plate to form a floating pivotal connection between said channel members and said plate, said channel members being mounted with their free edges directed toward each other, spring' means secured to said plate and engaging said channel members near said pivotal connections to bias said channel members to a predetermined position, a second spring means secured to said plate and engaging said channel member at a point remote from said pivotal connection and a pair of divergently extending guide prongs sefor engaging conductors and moving said jaw members away from said predetermined position against the bias of said first and second spring means when a thrust is applied to said supporting plate.

I MYRON A. BEST.

cured to the free ends of said channel members Q 

